Devils' Schneider could use some support

Entering Friday’s action, Cory Schneider is ninth in the NHL in goals-against average (2.02), but his record is 6-9-5.

NEWARK — Maybe cash will do it.

Maybe Cory Schneider’s teammates need just a little more incentive to find the net, the Devils goaltender wondered aloud Friday.

"I’m thinking about it. Maybe throw some cash to some of the guys so they can … nah, just kidding," he said after the team’s optional practice at Prudential Center. "You’ve got to train them."

Schneider could joke about his team’s offensive struggles one day after pitching his third shutout. He earned another start tonight when the Devils host the Florida Panthers (17-21-6), having turned back 26 shots in a 1-0 victory over Dallas on Thursday that snapped a three-game losing streak (0-2-1).

Schneider again received little support — the 10th time in his 20 games that the Devils scored one or no goals for him.

He will make consecutive starts for the first time since Dec. 4 and 6.

Martin Brodeur predicted Schneider (6-9-5, .918, 2.02) was "in the net now to stay" in October. That has yet to happen.

But coach Pete DeBoer hopes the time has come for his "world-class goaltender" — he was referring to Schneider, not Brodeur -— to get on a roll. And he’s confident the goals will come after the Devils (18-18-9) put a total of 67 shots on net the past two games.

"You hope so," he said. "It’s a lot to ask obviously with only one goal of support. … [But] I have a feeling that we’re going to give our goaltenders some more support here going forward."

The Devils struggled to score before left wing Patrik Elias went down Dec. 31. He has missed four straight games. But Elias (total body soreness) is "heading in the right direction," DeBoer said after skating lightly on his own Friday.

The Devils — who ranked 26th in scoring entering Friday (2.31 goals per game) — are tired of talking about the drought.

"We scored. We won, 1-0. What do they want?" Jaromir Jagr joked of his goalies. "It’s their job to stop all these pucks."

Whether the goals come or not, the Devils admitted needing a win tonight. It marks the end of their three-game homestand with a challenging four-game trip beginning Sunday.